Waterford – Police were called to CVS at 106 Boston Post Road on Thursday due to a group of about 10 people from Long Island who were trying to get vaccinated and refusing to leave, police and local officials said.
The problem started earlier this week. Prime Minister Rob Brule said he received a call a few days ago saying that people saw an increase in out-of-state cars at CVS.
He referred the question to Steve Mansfield, director of the Ledge Light Health District, who referred it to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Mansfield said his understanding was that DPH paid a visit to the site on Thursday. He noted that only people who live or work in Connecticut are eligible to receive the vaccine in Connecticut.
Brule said in a statement, “I thank the Ledge Light Health District and the Department of Public Health for continuing with our concern that people outside the state were trying to receive vaccines that were distributed to our residents.”
Police chief Brett Mahoney said the police were called to the scene.
“In the end it was a call from DPH, saying there were people from New York trying to get vaccinated, refusing to leave, so we went there to ease the situation,” he said.
Mahoney said there were about 10 seniors from Long Island, who told police they could make an appointment through CVS. But when they arrived at CVS, they were told that they were not eligible.
The police chief said that people ended up leaving without being vaccinated.
Mahoney noted that Waterford police “deal with Connecticut criminal law, not vaccines”, and that the police are not trying to impose anything around vaccines.
CVS spokesman Mike DeAngelis said the company is investigating the situation and has not contacted the police in Waterford. He said CVS is following the state’s current eligibility requirements to receive a COVID-19 vaccine: individuals must live or work in Connecticut and also be 75 years of age or older, be a health professional or first responder who is at risk of exposure to COVID-19, or a member of the long-term care team or resident.
“We reserve the right to cancel a vaccination appointment if it is determined that the information provided to establish eligibility is not true,” wrote DeAngelis by email. “We recognize that there is a high demand for COVID-19 vaccines. As more supply becomes available and eligibility expands, we hope to increase access to vaccines in more stores and for more people.”
The issue came up at Governor Ned Lamont’s press conference on Thursday afternoon. “You need to live here in Connecticut or work here in Connecticut,” he said. “You need to identify yourself as such when you sign up, say, on that CVS website to schedule your vaccination appointment. You will have to show proof of where you are from and you will have to show proof that you are over 75 years old.”
Operations director Josh Geballe added that the state can verify that there was not enough notification in the eligibility scheduling system. DPH spokeswoman Maura Fitzgerald said DPH “will continue to work with providers to ensure that their nomination systems are properly screened for eligibility.”
A Long Island woman who appeared in Waterford on Thursday said she told CVS several times that her 86-year-old mother was from New York and did not work in Connecticut, but that CVS said she was ready to go, NBC reported Connecticut. CVS spokeswoman Tara Burke said it is the patient’s responsibility to read the criteria and make sure they meet Connecticut requirements before registering with the pharmacy system.
e.moser@theday.com